NHTSA Complaint #10155742 — 2000 WINNEBAGO MINNIE

2000 WINNEBAGO MINNIE MODEL 31C CLASS C MOTOR HOME UTILIZING A 2000 FORD E450 CHASSIS. TIRE INFLATION PRESSURES ARE RELIGIOUSLY CHECKED PRIOR TO EACH USE OF THE MOTOR HOME. ON APRIL 17, 2006 WHILE DRIVING (NORTH ON US98 AT MILE MARKER 17 IN MOBILE, ALABAMA) AT 50 MPH THE RIGHT REAR INBOARD TIRE (FIRESTONE LT225-75 R 16 LOAD RANGE E) SUFFERED AN EXPLOSIVE FAILURE FOLLOWED BY TREAD SEPARATION. THE FAILURE WAS NOT PRECEDED BY A DETECTABLE VIBRATION BUT APPEARED TO BE INSTANTANEOUS. THE TREAD BENT THE EXHAUST INTO THE REMAINING TIRE AND STRIPPED THE FENDER AND ROCK SHIELD PROTECTING THE LPG STORAGE TANK. IT BENT THE LPG PLUMBING COMING FROM THE LP TANK, BUT DID NOT BREACH THE PLUMBING OR CAUSE A LEAK. THE VEHICLE REMAINED CONTROLLABLE AND WAS DRIVEN FOR ANOTHER MILE UNTIL IT COULD BE EXITED FROM THE HIGHWAY. THE TIRE ONLY HAD 15250 MILES ON IT AND AS I SAID WAS AS ALWAYS INFLATED TO THE MFG'S SPECIFICATIONS PRIOR TO EACH USE OF THE MOTOR HOME. IT APPEARED THAT THE INTERNAL SIDEWALL RADIAL PLIES HAD FAILED AT THE EDGE OF THE STEEL BELTS. THIS FORCED THE OUTSIDE SIDEWALL PLIES TO CARRY THE PRESSURE LOADS AS WELL AS THE STEEL BELT CENTRIFUGAL RETAINING LOADS THUS EVENTUALLY CAUSING A CARCASS FAILURE AND RESULTING DE-LAMINATION OF THE TREAD/STEEL BELT BONDS. IT APPEARS (AS EVIDENCED BY OXIDATION) THAT THE FAILURE MAY HAVE BEEN PREDICTED BY A CRACK LOCATED ON A RADIAL AXIS IN THE SIDEWALL. I BELIEVE RADIAL (SPOKE TYPE) CRACKS MAY BE AN INDICATOR THAT A SECTION OF THE INTERNAL RADIAL PLIES IS NO LONGER IN TENSION (IN OTHER WORDS INTERNALLY CUT). ONE OTHER TIRE ON THE VEHICLE HAS THIS SAME CRACK. THE ENTIRE SET OF SIX TIRES IS BEING REPLACED WITH NEW TIRES. *JB